The thing about party season for me is it’s not entirely organized for people with jobs…
Or, what I mean to say is, there are people whose jobs are going to parties, people whose jobs are made easier by going to parties but it is an entirely elective activity, and then there is me, a person whose night job of going to parties both supports and complicates my ability to do my day job of high-level editorial and commercial styling.
A classic double-edged sword.
And, as I’ve written about before, fashion’s unyielding and often suffocating snobbiness, and inflexible relationship to the rigid organizing principles of a very specific social hierarchy, makes it hard to exist at the intersection.
For a very long time in this business you could be an influencer, or you could be an editor, but NEVER both. And, I would be lying if I said trying to build my personal brand hasn’t come with some hardcore backlash on the Big FashionTM front but I’m building something bigger. Something for me, (and for many others!) that revolves around access and authenticity and autonomy.
We get into all of this, and who actually gets to wield influence in fashion these days, on Episode 3 of Front Row, Back Table, which is live NOW!
I got down and dirty with a Mötley Crüe of KEY OPINION LEADERS who continue to shape fashion’s relationship to the internet– I’m talkin’ bout OG influencers Susie Lau (@susiebubble), Brenda Weischer (@brendahashtag), Kim Russell (@thekimbino), and Nicky Campbell (@nickybell) over too many martinis right after the Chanel show! So make sure to tune in.
Anyway, I’m proud of myself for thriving in these strange and confusing times but a bitch is tired of toeing the line.
…Too tired for parties…
So, when I show up to one, it’s because it is necessary (either personally, or professionally), or for a good cause, and in the best of cases it is all three. Which brings me to…
On this day, the 30th of October, I am honored to inform you that I am the first person in my bloodline to have attended the AIRBnB.org Gala that was also, randomly, the Academy Awards. And, if the internet’s reaction is anything to go by, nobody quite understands what that means…
Luckily for the internet, I can report firsthand– lemme get this out as succinctly as possible:
Airbnb threw its first-ever gala to celebrate its nonprofit, airbnb.org, which has provided more than 1.6 million nights of free emergency housing to people in crisis— from refugees to evacuees— and to announce that a portion of the revenue from every single Airbnb henceforth will go towards this initiative. Basically, the company pledged $500 million from revenue over the next five years to help house vulnerable people displaced by disasters, survivors of domestic violence, and families traveling for medical care.
The gala was inordinately well attended and, I couldn’t quite believe I was among many guests that have held a small golden man named Oscar in their hands.
Now, people have their thoughts… it’s not lost on me that there is a very real conversation happening about how the temporary rental market is displacing people in major cities. This conversation is real and valid. Does philanthropy absolve a company of the consequences of its business model? Of course not.
But if harm-reduction and mitigating damage are at all options in this, the latest stage of capitalism, I’m gonna choose the guys renting houses who are ALSO, and AT LEAST opting into helping too. Come for me in the comments if you must but…
And, that’s all she wrote… as always, thanks for giving me your brains.*
xGKJ
*P.S. Should we make a Brain Matter merch tee that says “Gimme Brain” yes or no? Answer in the comments!
